Newgarden Defends St. Petersburg, Dixon Claims Championship

October 25, 2020

Andy Nietupski (anietupski@ttlsports.com)


Josef Newgarden used an aggressive restart maneuver to win the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, becoming just the third driver to notch a repeat victory.  Newgarden’s bold move came on Lap 80 as he sidestepped Colton Herta in Turn 1 and steered around Alex Palou to claim the lead. 

Pato O’Ward finished 4.2 seconds behind Newgarden, and Scott Dixon claimed the final podium position.  The third-place finish gave Dixon his sixth IndyCar Championship, squeezing-out Newgarden by a mere 16 points, a 3% margin. 

“It’s definitely bittersweet,” Newgarden said.  


Figure 1- Josef Newgarden became just the third driver in history to earn a repeat victory at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.  (Andy Nietupski / TTL Sports Media)  

Scott Dixon finish the season 4 wins, 9 top five finishes and 13 top ten finishes.  Newgarden had 1 fewer top 10 finishes, but claimed 3 pole positions.  The difference between Dixon and Newgarden was a theoretical 14th place finish.  Colton Herta rounded out the Championship podium. 

This was Dixon second Championship in three years and sixth in his career, second only to A.J. Foyt’s seven.

“Six is good,” Dixon told reports after the race. “Seven sounds better.”

The Championship appeared to be Dixon’s to lose with three races left in the season. However, Dixon’s performed tailed in the wanning weeks of the season, finishing no better than 8th in his last four races.  


Figure 2 - Pato O’Ward finished 4.2 seconds behind Newgarden  to secure second place at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.  (Andy Nietupski / TTL Sports Media)

Newgarden surged in the second half of the season, winning four of the final seven races.  The win at St. Petersburg was Newgarden second in October and fourth overall. Newgarden was looking to back-to-back Championship. 

The 100-lap Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg race was set to open the 2020 racing season, but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Race organizers salvaged the reason, reducing the number of races from 17 to 14, and using just 9 venues.  St. Petersburg was the final race of the abridged 2020 season.  


Figure 3 - Colton Herta rounded out the NTT IndyCar Championship podium behind Dixon and Newgarden.  (Andy Nietupksi / TTL Sports Media)

The 1.8-mile course is a traditional serpentine circuit, running alongside the South Yacht Basin and around the Dali Museum, Duke Energy Center for the Art and the Al Lang Soccer Stadium.  The race Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg has been at the downtown waterfront circuit since 2005.  


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